Barnaby Matthews
}}]] | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-caption" colspan="2" } | }} |- ! colspan="2" | General Secretary of SPADES |- ! Term | } |- ! Party Undersecretary | } |- ! Predecessor | } |- ! Sucessor | } |- ! colspan="2" | Life |- ! Born | } |- ! Age | } |- ! Residence | } |- ! Spouse | } |- ! Political Party | } |- ! Military Service | } |- style="font-size:0; line-height:0;" ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | |}Barnaby Matthews is a communist politician active in the Grimshire Socialist Republic. Often considered the father of the Grimshire Revolution, he is the founder of the SPADES Party, and has served as General Secretary of the Politburo of the Central Committee of SPADES since the country's founding. Early Life Matthews was born to a wealthy family that was powerful in the Brotherhood of the Occultus Imperium in 1963. His father was a bishop in the Brotherhood, and as a result young Barnaby grew up surrounded by the elite of the Grand Duchy of Grimshire. He never got along with one of the other Bishop's sons, the boy who would eventually grow up into Lavidian II, Lord of Grimshire. Matthews became increasingly rebellious as he grew older, and eventually left the Brotherhood to begin trying to garner support for a new regime to replace the one his parents supported. It is this period that has resulted in the common perception (outside the GSR) that Matthews launched his revolution out of spite against his controling parents and childhood bully Lavidian. Building a Movement After leaving the family manor, Matthews purchased a flat in downtown Grimshire (having stolen certain valuables from his parents), and began a full time career in political rabble rousingl. Matthews posed as a worker from out of the city, and worked hard to conceal his privileged past from those he was exploiting in his quest for absolute power. His great chance would come after years of building leftist movements within city state, when the Herobrine Fever pandemic broke out in Old Happy City. Revolution Capitalizing on the fears of the populace due to the lack of modern medicine in the Grand Duchy, his movement united with other, newer leftist movements to form the "United Liberation Front of Grimshire" on December 28th, 2003. After several "protests" in which a number of protesters and Grimshire Guards were killed, Matthews moved the organization to the abandoned Lavidian's Shrine just outside the city. Here they organized themselves into a single organization, the Socialist People's Alliance for a Democratically Elected Society. They re-entered the city on January 8th, 2004, and engaged with the Guards riot cordon. The Guard was not expecting to be met with firearms and organized, militant attack, and were routed. The SPADES members were able to quickly enter Brotherhood Square before the Guards could regroup, and stormed the Grimshire Cathedral, killing most of the Brotherhood monks within. A larger group split off and attacked Snowspire Manor, led by Matthews. This group locked in hand to hand combat with the Guards stationed here, while a UH-1 helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the Royal family. This chopper landed on the south lawn, but the communsits broke through and mobbed the helicopter, killing the pilot and capturing the aircraft. Trapped in the burning manor, Lavidian II was defended by his guards to the last man, before being captured along with his wife and young daughters. Matthews himself then proceed to order the Lord's family to be executed by incineration, and only after forcing Lavidian to watch this ordered Lavidian to be hanged from the entrance of the manor. Forming the Socialist Republic Following Lavidian's death and the destruction of the Brotherhood leadership, the Grimshire Guard was in disarray. Armed with the weapons captured in Snowspire Manor and the helicopter, the SPADES members moved to secure the main armory, and were met with limited resistance. The Guard surrendered shortly after daybreak on January 9th, and the SPADES party, led by Matthews, set about forming a new, authoritarian state from it's wreckage. Matthews declared the Grimshire Socialist Republic from the balcony of the Snowspire Manor, with Lavidian II still dangling underneath him. His first move was to outlaw the Brotherhood and create a new state body with which to hunt down and destroy all who would not renounce religion, this body eventually formed into the State Security Bureau, the much feared secret police. The Guard was disbanded and reformed into a new Grimshire People's Army, with a separate Revolutionary Guard taking on police duties. Matthews began a rapid expansion of his new state, absorbing the nearby village of Spadeston and renaming it Honecker. The new GSR also incorporated the abandoned fortified town of Arthan, rebuilding it into a new naval base and shipping hub. Rule as General Secretary and Cold War Since the formation of the GSR Matthews has been serving as General Secretary of the Politburo of the Central Committee of SPADES, and holding de facto dictator's power over the country. He is views as the father of the Revolution, and a cult of personality has begun to rise around him. He resides in the former Snowspire Manor, now renamed the Grimshire People's Palace, and seldom leaves. It is even more rare that he leaves the city of Grimshire. He can be seen leading speeches occasionally to the Presidium of the Grimshire Socialist Republic, as well as inspecting GPA garrisons. He has bee known to make the occasional state visit to his cold war enemies Happy Nation and the Neu Deutsches Kaiserreich. Since the creation of the puppet Democratic Worker's Republic of Durkadurkastan has has made several visits to Bakalakadaka to speak with fellow Communist leader Bachkala. Category:Leaders Category:Politicians Category:SPADES Party Category:Grimshire Socialist Republic Category:Communism Category:General Secretary of SPADES